L.D.W.F. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR GROUP HUNTS ON WHITE LAKE WETLANDS CONSERVATION AREA

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is now accepting applications on a first come, first serve basis for waterfowl group hunts for up to 12 hunters per group on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. Cost of the hunts will be $25,000 for each group, and applications will be available from the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov[3] beginning on Thursday, Aug. 10.

Interested groups must select one, two-day group hunt per application. These two consecutive days must fall within these dates: Nov. 11-21, Nov. 27-Dec. 3, Dec. 16-21, and Jan. 3-21. When selecting dates (example: Nov. 12-13), it is understood that arrival will be the afternoon before (example: Nov. 11). The two consecutive days of hunting do not include the arrival day, which will be the day before from 3-5 p.m.

LDWF will then select the first 12 applications that do not conflict with already scheduled group hunts during the days requested. All applications will be date and time stamped upon arrival to assure the first come, first serve policy. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must submit a separate application for each two-day group hunt they wish to reserve.

Applications must be accompanied by a bank draft or money order made payable to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in the amount of $2,000. If the application is the first one for the selected dates, the deposit is non-refundable, and the applicants will be notified by mail and required to submit the final payment of $23,000 no later than 14 days prior to arrival. If the application is one of the first 12 selected but the dates requested have already been filled, an attempt will be made to reschedule the dates. If rescheduling cannot be accomplished, then the deposit will be refunded.

The fee covers up to 12 hunters and includes the following; transportation to and from the airport (Jennings and Lake Charles), all food and beverages, two-night stay at the White Lake Lodge, professional hunting and fishing guides, hunting and fishing licenses, steel shot shotgun shells for waterfowl hunts and lead shot for skeet range, the use of shotguns and fishing gear, bird and fish cleaning and packaging.

On the arrival day, hunters will watch a safety film and then be issued hunting and fishing licenses. If time allows they will shoot skeet in the late afternoon hours. Day two starts with a morning waterfowl hunt from 6-9:30 a.m. After the hunt, the group can fish or shoot clay targets on the skeet range or sporting clays course. On day three a morning waterfowl hunt is scheduled from 6-9:30 a.m., and checkout is no later than noon after lunch.